[Note: System is an HP dv5t with dual core 2.53GHz CPU, 4Gb RAM, and 10% free disk space running Vista x64 Home Premium]



In an attempt to further improve my system performance, I embarked on the task of doing a Registry Defrag. This was suggested in a few different postings I'd read about Windows Vista optimization.

I downloaded three programs to try out: Free Registry Defrag, WinASO Registry Optimizer, and Auslogics Registry Defrag.

I tried each one after shutting down all applications (including the widget sidebar). In all cases, as the analysis process proceeds I don't touch anything else on the computer. About 10 to 15 minutes into the process, I begin to wonder what's taking so long. In two of them, a progress bar gets to 99% and just sits there. Another shows 3 out of 13 tasks and also can't seem to go beyond this.

At about this point, my user interface freezes in various stages. I can move my mouse, but I can't launch anything new from the Start Menu, or click on a desktop icon. Then, my cursor becomes unresponsive to my external mouse or touchpad. I also start to notice that the clock in the lower right corner is no longer updating. Other times I walked away for about 20 minutes and came back to see that my screen went to sleep (but all lights show active). Touching the mouse should "wake up" the screen, but nothing happens. The user interface is unresponsive.

Why... why do 3 different applications freeze up on me like this? Is Registry Defragging fraught with problems? Or, is it possible that some background process is interfering with it, something that the programs don't bother to detect before proceeding? Any ideas?

Hi Rich,
Thanks for your response. So, from what I gather in your message, the whole idea of "registry fragmentation" is kind of like snake oil? That Vista is perfectly capable of keeping the registry in order, unlike the plethora of temporary files that Windows operating systems seem intrinsically destined to leave lying around?

Thanks. I have experienced a little improvement after having followed the basic advice. I had subsequently installed "PC Speed Up" to have an "alternate opinion", but it ended up as a rabbit chase with more aggravation than it was worth. The software warned of thousands of "junk" files that supposedly slows down the system, but that's far from the truth. It exaggerated on the effects of various services starting that would slow down the boot up. Also, the software itself slows down start-up by about 50% just to assess it... and would repeatedly do it upon each reboot (I'm guessing until I register for the paid version.) Well, I got rid of that junk straight off.

Yep, I did that earlier (Piriform CC Cleaner). You'd think that there wouldn't be anything else left to throw away, so subsequent programs that claim differently leave one to suspect if they're really correct.

I always backup my registry before doing anything, as the backup file becomes very small when compressed so it's a no brainer for the added safety.

Incidentally, are you running Windows 7 Ultimate? I'm on Home Premium Vista, but thinking of upgrading to Ultimate so that I can leverage things like multiple virtual machines. And with all the hype about Windows 8 going, I imagine Vista Ultimate could be had for less than the going rate about a year ago.